ACT I - Scene III Quiz — Macbeth

by William Shakespeare

Comprehension Quiz: ACT I - Scene III

Where does Act 1, Scene 3 of Macbeth take place?

  • King Duncan's castle at Forres
  • A heath amid thunder
  • The battlefield at Fife
  • Macbeth's castle at Inverness

Why does the First Witch want to punish the sailor?

  • He refused to pay her for a prophecy
  • His wife refused to share her chestnuts
  • He sailed without the witches' blessing
  • He spoke ill of the witches to the king

What is the first title the witches use to greet Macbeth?

  • King of Scotland
  • Thane of Cawdor
  • Thane of Glamis
  • Lord of the Isles

Which of the following is NOT one of the witches' prophecies for Banquo?

  • Lesser than Macbeth, and greater
  • Not so happy, yet much happier
  • Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none
  • Thou shalt be Thane of Cawdor after Macbeth

What is the significance of Macbeth's line "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"?

  • It shows he is already allied with the witches
  • It echoes the witches' chant from Act 1, Scene 1, linking him to their moral world
  • It proves he has met the witches before this encounter
  • It is a comment on the Scottish weather and nothing more

How does Banquo describe the witches' physical appearance?

  • Beautiful women in white robes
  • Withered, wild, with choppy fingers, skinny lips, and beards
  • Shadowy figures with no distinguishing features
  • Three old men wearing crowns of thorns

What news do Ross and Angus bring to Macbeth?

  • King Duncan has died in battle
  • Macbeth has been named Thane of Cawdor
  • Banquo has been promoted above Macbeth
  • The witches have been captured and imprisoned

What does Banquo mean when he says "What, can the devil speak true?"

  • He believes Ross is lying about the title
  • He is surprised the witches' prophecy about Cawdor has come true
  • He thinks Macbeth made a deal with the devil
  • He is questioning King Duncan's judgment

What warning does Banquo give about the "instruments of darkness"?

  • They will return to demand payment for their prophecies
  • They use honest trifles to win trust, then betray in deepest consequence
  • They can only speak lies and should never be believed
  • They serve King Duncan and are testing Macbeth's loyalty

In Macbeth's aside, what does he compare the two fulfilled prophecies to?

  • Seeds that will grow into a mighty tree
  • Happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme
  • Steps on a staircase leading to the throne
  • Waves building toward a great storm

What "horrid image" does Macbeth describe in his aside?

  • The witches' ghastly appearance
  • The murdered body of the Thane of Cawdor
  • The thought of murdering King Duncan
  • A vision of Banquo's ghost

What does Macbeth decide to do about the prophecy at the end of the scene?

  • He will murder Duncan immediately
  • He will leave it to chance—"chance may crown me without my stir"
  • He will ask the witches for more guidance
  • He will confess everything to King Duncan

What does Macbeth mean when he says the Thane of Cawdor title is "borrowed robes"?

  • He believes the title was stolen from the rightful owner
  • He is questioning why he is being given a title that belongs to a living man
  • He thinks the clothing he received as a gift does not fit
  • He is concerned the title is only temporary

What role does Banquo play in relation to Macbeth in this scene?

  • He encourages Macbeth to seize the throne
  • He serves as Macbeth's moral foil, urging skepticism and caution
  • He plots secretly against Macbeth with Ross
  • He dismisses the witches entirely and forgets about them

Comprehension Quiz

Question 1 of 0
Score: 0 / 0
Read Chapter
← Previous Next →